Which jacks are the most efficient, reliable.
Submitted: Sunday, Nov 26, 2006 at 11:52
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Member - Axle
Have had a 3t hydraulic bottle jack for 10 yrs no probs. just carry some different sized hardwood timber for a base. Helped a guy on the side of the road the other day, he was in a dyna tipper with about 3t of top soil on with a blown passengers side front tyre. his standard toyo screw type jack was struggling to cope with the weight, so we got the bottle jack under the chassis rail as
well, lifted it easily with the two, any one can get caught out at times.
Cheers Axle.
Reply By: Robin - Sunday, Nov 26, 2006 at 17:52
Sunday, Nov 26, 2006 at 17:52
Manufacturers tend to use standard screw type because it is most dependable
and all round easy to use.
Hydraulic jacks are less reliable and many fail particularly with advent of the cheapies.
Often due to poor lock off screws.
But good bottle Hydraulic can lift more with les effort, although they are heavier for same rating.
Usually in bush its getting a good max/min height ratio that counts and screw ones tend to win over the bottle types.
Robin Miller
AnswerID:
206971
Follow Up By: Member - Roachie (SA) - Sunday, Nov 26, 2006 at 20:40
Sunday, Nov 26, 2006 at 20:40
Robin,
You've hit on an important aspect that not many people consider. Many aftermarket jacks (hydraulic bottle) are too high (in their fully compressed position), to fit under the jacking point when you have a flat tyre. Okay if you're on sand or soft soil, as you can just dig-out some ground to slide the jack under.....not so easy on bitumen or similar hard surface (like the shoulder of a gravel road).
However, also a frustration, is the fact that with many sizes of tyres we typically use (75 series aspect or higher), you also have an additional issue. You've bought a jack that will fit under jacking point when there is a flat tyre. However, when you jack the bloody thing up as high as it will go, you find that the vehicle hasn't risen high enough to get the old tyre off............or worse still, you get that one off and then can't get the new tyre on as the vehicle hasn't been raised high enough.
The answer is to get a hydraulic jack with a double piston action (I think that's what it is called).
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Follow Up By: Member - Axle - Sunday, Nov 26, 2006 at 23:09
Sunday, Nov 26, 2006 at 23:09
In my opion, sometimes in a bad situation forget the bloody jacking points, get the jack under something that looks strong take up the weight and then chock it, move the jack towards the end that needs lifting and repeat the process. thats why i like all my little off cuts of 4x4 timber and bottle jack.
cheers.Axle.
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467009
Follow Up By: Robin - Monday, Nov 27, 2006 at 08:20
Monday, Nov 27, 2006 at 08:20
As per Axle , carry a few odd bits of wood here which helps with jacking.
Some jacks are better designed than others , can't remember the exact figures
but when I searched around I didn't care so much if it was bottle or screw type but I came up with a screw type jack that had a 3:1 max/min height ratio (many bottle jacks don't make 2:1) , and it was also the lightest jack so I was happy.
Same thing applies to garage jacks , many these days struggle to go up to 500mm,
but if you search around you find some go to 590mm in the same cheap range.
Just have to be aware of whats possible and not buy first thing you see.
Robin Miller
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